MES for a Hot Dip Galvanizing Line: Part II

The Client -Server Architecture of the MES

What we have seen so far are fairly simple data entry forms to be used by production operators to fill up a database.What is interesting is how others can mine and use the data.

The databases are local; one attached to each producing unit.A single Java application embeds the database and the server.Call this a Local Server Unit, or LSU:

Fig.1

THE LSU resides and operates in one computer. The Plant Manager queries this database and generates a variety of reports using a different networked client computer, which hosts and runs his client program.More than one manager may be interested: they can all link to the LSU (simultaneously, if need be) with their own client computer and program.A high degree of concurrency will not be supported, and is not required.Occasional access by several people around the clock is necessary, and is possible.

The user interface of the Client Program is simple:

Fig.2

A large number of sophisticated dynamic queries are stored in the program, to generate reports on the fly at the click of a button after entering the input parameters.The input parameters are the start date and the end date.It is thus possible to generate, on the fly, reports pertaining to yesterday, the last week, the previous month or a given quarter: according to your choice.Most reports are generated as printable tables.Here is an example:

Fig.3

In addition to the stored dynamic queries, the GUI accepts the user's own SQL query, if he is inclined to write one.A correctly written query will generate a printable table for viewing and/or printing.

Other reports are more complex, and are generated to an output file for printing.Here is an example:

  XYZ CO. LTD
  PRODUCTION REPORT
Galvanizing Line #2
From: 13/10/06          To: 13/10/06
AMMONIA_SPF,KG/T          3.628
AMMONIA_TOT,TONS          0.600
ANTIMONY__,TONS           0.020
AVERAGE_CRTH,MM           0.443
CHEMIDITE_SPF,LTR/T       0.121
CHEMIDITE_TOT,LTR         20.000
COATING_AVG,GSM           122.779
DROSS_PERCENT,%           8.267
DROSS__BOT,TONS           0.000
DROSS__TOP,TONS           0.530
LEAD_TOTAL,TONS           0.000
LENGTH_TOTAL,MTR          53806.000
POWER_SPF,KWH/T           175.333
POWER__TOTAL,KWH          29000.000
TIN__TOTAL,TONS           0.030
UNIKLEEN_SPF,KG/T         2.418
UNIKLEEN_TOT,TONS         0.400
WEIGHT__EXPORT,TONS       0.000
WEIGHT__FX,TONS           0.000
WEIGHT__NFX,TONS          0.000
WEIGHT__PRIME,TONS        139.926
WEIGHT__S1,TONS           21.580
WEIGHT__S2,TONS           1.544
WEIGHT__S3,TONS           2.350
WEIGHT__S4,TONS           0.000
WT_FULLHARD,TONS          145.534
WT_MIXEDHARD,TONS         19.866
WT_SOFT_TL,TONS           0.000
WT____SOFT,TONS           0.000
WT____TOTAL,TONS          165.400
ZICN_HIGH_G,TONS          5.901
ZINC_ALLOY,TONS           0.460
ZINC_PRWEST,TONS          0.000
ZINC_SPECIFIC,KG/T        35.556
  XYZ CO.LTD
  GAUGEWISE REPORT
Galvanizing Line #2
From: 13/10/06    To: 13/10/06
CRTH       GPWT
0.220       2.350
0.314       12.418
0.315       21.020
0.366       19.028
0.450       39.178
0.490       12.280
0.536       59.126

Fig.4

The 34 rows in the first part of the report is, in fact, a Union of 34 separate dynamic SQL queries designed to cover all the parameters that a Plant Manager monitors to assess the operating health of his Galvanizing Line.As before, this report can cover any arbitrary period in the Line's operating history stored in its database.The second part of the report is the result from a single dynamic query.As before, the entire page is generated within 1 or 2 seconds at the click of a button.

Some reports have too many fields to be conveniently displayed on the GUI.They are output to a text file, for conversion to an Excel file before printing.Here is an example:

Fig.5

The relationship between the LSU and the ERP will be covered in my next article.